today, in an online chat about guns, vice president biden was asked, if in a crisis like a natural disaster, citizens should be able to have assault weapons for their self defense. >> it's harder to use an assault weapon and hit something than it is a shotgun, okay? you want to keep people away in an earthquake, buy some shotgun shells. >> reporter: as the gun debate rages, "slate" magazine reports 1,200 americans have died in gun violence since newtown. and in pennsylvania, a sportsman show set for next weekend is postponed indefinitely after complaints about the organizers' decision to exclude automatic rifles. kelly o'donnell, nbc news, washington. >>> big bad news for apple today. their stock is taking a beating after a disappointing earnings report. much-loved stock lost more than 12% of its value today alone. put another way, apple lost $52 billion in value today, more than target, nike, starbucks and costco are worth individually. even that didn't stop the dow jones industrial average, s&p 500, as they continue their steady climb toward breaking their all-time highs. the dow today cl